Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-25-CO Liberator in Fenton: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-24248
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1043
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing in unknown circumstances, killing four crew members.
Crew (90th BG):
William A. Miller ?.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Bowen: 14 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1943 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A24-24
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bowen - Bowen
MSN:
380
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The seaplane took off from Bowen on an air to sea gunnery training exercise. At the conclusion of firing practice, the aircraft was making a run across the wave tops over a choppy sea and it is assumed that the port wing hit the water and the aircraft crashed into the sea and sank approximately 5 miles east of Bowen. Two crew members survived while 14 other occupants were killed.
Crew (20th Squadron):
F/O Peter Keene, pilot, †
F/O Stanley John Porteous, copilot, †
Sgt Robin Fowler, flight engineer,
Sgt Raymond Charles Ciglander, navigator, †
Sgt Harold Stuart William Thomas, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Leslie George Dalgleish, fitter, †
LAC Ainslie Ivor Dent, fitter, †
AC1 Cyril Leslie Edwards, armourer.
Passengers:
Sgt Lloyd George Fiske,
S/Sgt Leslie Harry Harrison,
Sgt Robert Ronald Harrison,
Pvt Douglas McLaine,
Pvt Irvine George Osborne,
Cpt Lawrence Edward Tansey,
Pvt Kenneth Reginald Walker,
Cpt Donald Charles Whitfeld.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide in Wynyard

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UXT
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Melbourne – Wynyard
MSN:
6346
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown at Wynyard Airport, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and collided with a ditch before coming to rest. While all four occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Cpt F. H. Dawson.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Tsile Tsile: 9 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-18668
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Tsile Tsile
MSN:
6029
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
While approaching Tsile Tsile-Maralina Airfield at low height, the aircraft was attacked by a Japanese Nakajima Ki-43 Oscar. The aircraft went out of control and crashed 8 miles south of the airfield, killing all nine occupants. No trace of the aircraft was found.
Crew (374th TCG):
1st Lt Charles O. Cathcart, pilot,
F/O Darwin R. Hamilton, copilot,
Sgt Theodore Slocki, flight engineer,
Sgt William H. Fetzer, radio operator.
Passengers:
Cpl Jeremiah J. Ryan,
Pfc Austin J. Lothschutz,
Pvt Sam Rothstein,
Cpl Thomas B. Renkes,
Earl L. Kahler.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Tsile Tsile: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-18682
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Tsile Tsile
MSN:
6088
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While approaching Tsile Tsile-Maralina Airfield at low height, the aircraft was attacked by a Japanese Nakajima Ki-43 Oscar. During this first attack, a passenger was killed and the aircraft caught fire. The captain attempted to make an emergency landing when on a second attack, he was killed. The aircraft hit trees and crashed in a wooded area. Five crew members were killed while a passenger was seriously injured and transferred to the hospital in Port Moresby where he died few hours later.
Crew (374th TCG):
1st Lt Enoch P. Burley, pilot,
1st Lt James F. Miles, copilot,
T/Sgt Edward R. Bering, crew chief,
Pvt John Kvaka Jr., radio operator.
Passengers:
Cpt Robert C. Heller,
Cpl Virgil H. Dockery.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL off Townsville: 27 killed

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1943 at 0520 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-7733
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Townsville – Brisbane
MSN:
4212
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
27
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Eagle Beaver' left Townsville-Garbutt Airport at 0500 bound for Brisbane-Archerfield. Twenty minutes later, while climbing by night, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Cleveland Bay, few miles off shore. No survivor was found among the 27 occupants.
Crew (40th TCS):
M/Sgt Donald H. Arbogast,
S/Sgt Delbert Braund,
T/Sgt Leo W. Butcher,
T/Sgt Grant W. Caldwell,
S/Sgt Cielinski,
T/Sgt Andrew J. Crowley Jr.,
Sgt Herman R. Cummins,
T/Sgt Rodney D. Dinneen,
M/Sgt Aram L. Doolittle,
T/Sgt Stephen D. Dzury,
F/O Forrest,
S/Sgt Wilmer Roland Fowler,
1st Lt Owen A. Hawver,
T/Sgt Carl J. Huebner,
T/Sgt Charles S. Hunter,
M/Sgt Francis M. Lee,
Cpl Markel,
T/Sgt Laurence P. McKenna,
T/Sgt Ezra E. Rapp,
S/Sgt William Fred Repass,
T/Sgt George A. Roberts,
Sgt Floyd M. Simpson,
Cpl Venard H. Trebon,
S/Sgt Charles W. Tuttle,
S/Sgt Willard G. Van Patten,
F/O H. Wilson,
S/Sgt Charles J. Zahora.

Crash of a Consolidated C-87-CF Liberator Express in Whenuapai: 16 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1943 at 0230 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-24027
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Whenuapai – Brisbane
MSN:
822
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Captain / Total flying hours:
17000
Captain / Total hours on type:
783.00
Circumstances:
United Airlines was performing this special flight from New Zealand to Brisbane on behalf of the US Consulate in order to rapatriate in Australia some Japanese and Thai refugees who should be swapped with US soldiers. Shortly after take off from runway 04 by night, the aircraft climbed in light rain and soft fog and went above the stratus layer when it banked left. It lost altitude, hit the ground at a speed of 200 knots, bounced twice and eventually crashed in a mangrove. On site, SAR could evacuate 16 injured persons while 14 other occupants were killed. A day later, two of the survivors died from their injuries. USAF confirmed that three of the crew and thirteen passengers were killed. All passengers were essentially women and children returnees.
Probable cause:
According to the USAF, pilots did not prepare the flight properly, did not follow the pre-departure check-list and made several mistakes during the climb procedure, causing the aircraft to adopt a wrong climb configuration. At the time of the accident, the crew members were tired as they accumulated 126 flying hours within the last 26 days, which was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 on San Cristobal Island: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
12405
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
9177
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Hit a mountain slope on San Cristobal Island, killing all 10 crew members.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Buin: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1943 at 0540 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-9128
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Carney - Carney
MSN:
2600
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew left Carney Airfield in the early morning to attack the Kahili Airfield in Buin. Following a successful mission, the aircraft christened 'De-Icer' was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed in flames 5 miles northwest of the airfield. All ten crew members were killed.
Crew (5th BG):
1st Lt Karl G. Stubblefield, pilot,
2nd Lt William E. Nevling, copilot,
1st Lt Walter C. Witherspoon, navigator,
1st Lt Robert J. Jones, bombardier,
M/Sgt Lowell E. Symons, flight engineer,
T/Sgt John L. Larson, assistant engineer,
T/Sgt Thomas H. Shadrick, radio operator,
Sgt Don E. Christenson, assistant radio operator,
Sgt Ranier P. Payton,
S/Sgt Louis Penven Jr.
Probable cause:
Shot down by anti-aircraft fire.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III off Vella Lavella Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2021
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
414-3834
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While cruising along the Vella Lavella Island, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilots of eight Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea. Crew abandoned the sinking aircraft but were strafed by enemy fighters. Four of them were killed while the air gunner was able to reach the shore.
Crew (3rd Squadron):
F/Lt William Allison, †
P/O Frank Kerr, †
Sgt Ronald Douglas, †
Sgt James Johnstone, †
Sgt Trevor Ganley.
Probable cause:
Shot down by 8 Japanese fighters.